The Premier League fixtures haven't fallen kindly for Arsenal and Liverpool (Image: Getty)
The new Champions League schedule could cause nightmare fixture congestion for Arsenal and Liverpool in particular. Those who qualified for Europe face a packed schedule next season.
All 20 top-flight sides have discovered how their domestic games have fallen with the release of the fixture list. And it doesn’t make for pretty reading for Mikel Arteta and Arne Slot.
The Gunners have a north London derby away at Tottenham to contend with before their first European game, which is followed by a visit to Manchester City in a brutal week. They host Liverpool just days after their third Champions League outing.
Trips to Newcastle and Chelsea sandwich the fourth fixture, and it doesn’t get much better for matchday five, which comes before West Ham away and Manchester United at home – all within a seven-day period.
What could be a crunch final group stage game will precede welcoming Manchester City to the Emirates on February 1, which is also just two days before the winter transfer window closes if they need to get any late mid-season business done.
Should Arteta’s side reach the knockout stages, they’ll head to Old Trafford in between the round of 16 ties, and face Chelsea at home after the second leg. A potential semi-final would be followed by a trip to Liverpool, who themselves face a daunting campaign ahead.
Mikel Arteta could have more schedule complaints (Image: Getty)
In September they’ll have Chelsea at home, a European group game, and Arsenal away in succession. Home matches against Aston Villa and Manchester City follow matchdays four and five respectively.
The new knockout round play-offs in February could be an unwelcome distraction before travelling to face City. They’re set to play Villa away just before the round of 16 second leg, have Chelsea away in between the semi-final fixtures, and host Arsenal after that.
City have a slightly more favourable calendar around the group stage, albeit with Arsenal at home after the first group game, Liverpool away following the fifth, and United at home after the sixth.
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Arne Slot faces a challenging first season ahead (Image: Getty)
As previously mentioned, Arsenal away follows the final group game, and the knockout round second leg is before Liverpool at home should they be involved in it.
Villa have United at home and Liverpool away after matchdays two and four. If they defy expectations and progress further, Liverpool at home comes after the round of 16 second leg, and United away would be before the quarter-final first leg.
As well as all of that, the Carabao Cup will throw an extra spanner in the works, with the third round - when the top Premier League sides enter the competition - pencilled in for the same week as the Champions League getting underway.
